Down The Nightmare Path
by NonaRose
Summary: A collection of Outlaw Queen one-shots in honor of SpookyOQ. Ratings may vary depending on the contents of each prompt.
1. Black Cat

**A/N:** Okaaaaaay. So, this one-shot is loosely based off the story my cousins and I were told as little kids, that supposedly happened in my grandparents' old neighborhood. Do I believe it? Eh, not sure, maybe. Is it an interesting tale? Sure, but not as interesting as all the other shit I've been through. Anyhow! If you're interested in what actually happened, I'd add this at the very end, now, without further ado, enjoy.

 **Rating:** T

 **Disclaimer:** I own absolutely nothing, unfortunately. If I did, Robin would've still been alive, yes, I'm bitter.

 **A/N2** : Also, please excuse my mistakes (and kindly point them out), I wrote this entirely in a single day and I'm not good enough to pull shit like that.

* * *

 **Black Cat**

* * *

Black cats were an omen of everything terrible awaiting to happen. They were considered bad luck, many cultures lived by that belief for centuries, others linked them to witchcraft and everything evil, satanic. Everything diabolical in the world. The furry creatures suffered through the exact torture methods their owners had before them; they were hanged, burned, and drowned. Every woman during the Middle Ages with a black cat by her side was considered a witch, a worshiper of the devil, further proof was never needed.

To Robin Locksley, however, it was utter bullshit. He didn't believe in certain things being linked to good or bad luck, he didn't believe in the terrible number _thirteen_ , or that broken mirrors meant misfortune. He walked under dozens of ladders before and nothing went wrong, nothing he connected to that, at least. It was life. Good things happened at times, bad things did, too. He paid no attention to spilt salt or cared about opening umbrellas inside — what was he supposed to do? Step out in the rain and _then_ open it? It was a stupid ideology. He didn't _knock on wood_ , either. What would a slab of wood do? Absolutely nothing. Or a four-leaf clover, a rabbit foot, horseshoes; it was all nonsense. But if others found comfort in such gibberish, who was he to judge?

"What're you doing this Halloween?" Rose, his little sister, asked, balancing on the chair she dragged to one corner of her front porch to hang the faux spiderwebs up.

She did this every year and he never understood why. Where was the pleasure in spending hundreds on useless decorations that weren't even scary? The skeletons were old-school, if anything, they were hilarious, and the spiderwebs were barely noticeable, they weren't creative, nor were the tombstones she dug into her front yard with fake, bloodied body parts emerging out of the ground around them. It was too much effort to put into for a single night, he couldn't even bother buying candies to hand out to the little rascals — not that they deserved any. Children often trashed his house, be it on that dreadful night or a regular night, from paper rolls over the roof of his house to smashing eggs into the walls. Admittedly, he wasn't the most joyous person around the neighborhood, he was in his early-thirties with the temper of an old, grumpy man.

"Order in pizza, watch some horror movies…" Robin trailed off with a shrug. "I'm still debating on whether I should get the candies now or wait until _after_ Halloween for the discount though."

"Or…" Rose began, stepping down the chair and turning around to face him, "maybe, just maybe you should actually celebrate it for once. Decorate your house some, get candies for the _kids._ Dress up like a normal human being would."

He snorted and shook his head. "No, that— what you just described is the exact opposite of what a normal human being would do, Tink. A normal human being would not waste around a thousand dollars on…all this," he gestured at her front yard. "A normal human being, like me for example, would sit home, ignore the little bastards, then head out the day after and grab twice as much candies for a lesser amount. _That_ is what a normal human being would do, and a wise one, that is."

"You're impossible," she acknowledged the obvious with a sigh. "Anyways, you coming in? I was thinking of ordering Chinese for dinner, been craving Kung Pao chicken for a while now."

"Your treat?" he flashed her a cheeky grin, and she rolled her eyes.

"Isn't it always?"

"Which makes you the best sister in the whole world," he quipped, stepping inside after her and closing the door behind him.

* * *

After dinner, they watched a few movies of his choice. Robin opted for horror films over the boring selection of the classic Halloween ones his sister suggested. _Hocus Pocus_ was a brilliant movie…for a child, that is. _Halloweentown_ and _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ weren't any better. He had nothing against them, he would've fully enjoyed them had he been a five-year-old, but there was nothing like the good ole, bone-chilling ones such as _The Exorcist_ or _The Exorcism of Emily Rose_ — those were his favorite, and seeing the frightened look on his sister's face made it ten times better.

"Do you have to go?" Rose groused, her bottom lip sticking out. "It's long past midnight, Robin—"

"And the worst thing that could happen in this neighborhood is that I could be chased by a stray dog," he interrupted.

"What about those killer clowns?" she argued.

"They were _literally_ last year's news."

She puffed out a huff and nodded, wrapping her arms around him in a quick hug. "Fine, just…just be careful on the way home. Just because it's a small neighborhood it doesn't mean it is completely safe for you to wander around at this time of the night."

"Yes, mother," he teased with a snigger, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. He appreciated how concerned she was over him, whether she would call him nonstop just to make sure he's alright, or randomly show up at his doorstep with home-cooked food, a nice change from all the frozen junk he was used to. "Part of me thinks you don't want to go because _you're_ too scared of being alone, not really worried over me." Rose swatted his bicep, and he laughed, "Night, Tink."

"Night, asshole. Call me when you're back home!"

"Will do," he promised.

Robin didn't live far from his sister, mainly because it was her that found him his current house, and he was in desperate need of a place to live in that he didn't care. He used to live in the city, alone in a two-bedroom apartment, surrounded by a swarm of people everyday on his way to work. He enjoyed that. As awful as it was to be squeezed in-between sick and sweaty people, or tossing and turning every night because of the police sirens going off every three minutes, or having the drunk fight behind his building at two in the morning, it was almost…comforting in a way, whereas the quiet neighborhood intimidated him in a sense. Not quite scared of what could lurk in the shadows, but it was eerie, it made him anxious for whatever reason.

He alternated between taking small and large steps as he walked down the road to his place, both hands tucked into the pockets of his pants for warmth. It was a cold night, not that he expected any less from the sweater weather, but it was unusually colder, he could see his breath every time he exhaled. Nevertheless, he shrugged it off and continued on his way, the faster he gets there, the better it would be. Though, halfway through he was startled by the sound of rustling in the bushes, followed by a mewl.

"Jesus Christ," he breathed out, landing a hand over his pounding heart and patting it to tame it. On cue, there was the rustling again and another mewl, slightly louder, a little closer. And another, and another before it stopped and small, bony cat appeared, glowing eyes staring up at him. "Oh, that's just great," he scoffed. "A black cat is exactly what I needed right before Halloween."

In return, the cat meowed again, prowling around him.

"Listen, it's late. I've got to head back home." Robin bent over and stroked the cat's head, then awkwardly shifted around it, but it followed him, almost tripping him as it pressed itself against his legs and purred. "Fuck," he huffed, straightening himself upward. "Go away," he shooed the cat, lightly nudging it away with his foot, but it stuck itself to him and refused to leave. "Great. That's just fucking great!"

The cat trudged by Robin's side the entire walk back to his home, and the second he unlocked the door and opened it, the cat walked inside, as though it owned the place, and began mewling and exploring its surroundings.

"Yeah, whatever. Just make yourself comfortable, I suppose," he mumbled sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he locked the door twice, kicked off his shoes to the side, then removed his coat and hanged it. "I know you've followed me all the way here for food, but the only food I have for you is a can of tuna and some milk, but I guess you can't really be picky about it since, well, you're a cat…and I've clearly lost my mind because I'm talking to a _cat_."

How ironic was it, though, that a black cat would come to a man of no beliefs a day before Halloween? If he wasn't tired, he would've laughed about it. Ah, this damn universe and the way it worked.

He left the cat in the kitchen with the last can of tuna he owned and some warm milk poured into a disposable bowl. Neither were too good for cats, but that's all he had in hand, and he was too exhausted to care, anyways. It wasn't his responsibility, it was a stray and he was doing something good for once by feeding it.

Robin shed off his clothes and changed into a pair of sweat pants and a t-shirt when his bedroom door creaked and opened, and the most obnoxious mewl came. He ignored it. He did his best to pretend the cat didn't even exist, but the moment he lowered himself down onto the bed, it jumped and cuddled up next to his feet, and as the evening dragged by, the cat moved and plopped down onto his chest, purring the night away.

* * *

By daytime, the cat was gone. The only evidence it ever existed was the half-eaten can of tuna on the kitchen's floor and the empty milk bowl. Robin didn't stress over it, though, as odd as it was that it managed to slip out of his house when the doors were locked, and the windows were closed shut.

The rest of the day was slow and uneventful. He did as he did every other Halloween and stayed home, ordered in, ignored the trick-or-treaters and watched movies. To some, it was unexciting and boring, to him, however, it was the perfect way to spend the revolting holiday. Still, he couldn't escape the gleeful voices of the children knocking on his door every couple of minutes, asking for a trick or a treat — maybe he should've bought some Halloween decorations, something that would send the little ones crying, that would've done him good.

"Go away!" he shouted, tilting his beer bottle upward and taking a swig. God. With the constant knocking, he needed something stronger. "I don't have any candies, go away!" he repeated, but the knocking continued, intensifying after a couple of tries. He stood with huff and marched over to the door, pressing the handle downward in anger and pulling it open with a scowl, but the sight that greeted him knocked the air right out of his chest.

It wasn't a group of children dressed as their favorite characters, carrying bucketfuls of candies, but a woman dressed in a simple, crisp white gown. Her long, raven hair cascading over her shoulders in loose curls, and her full lips were as red as a honeycrisp, her whiskey brown eyes bore into his, captivating him, making him forget every word he prepared to unleash over the youngsters.

"Can I come in?" she asked. Voice so sweet and velvety, he bobbed his head without a second thought. "Thank you."

The woman stepped inside, her fingertips gracefully dancing along the surface of the walls as she made her way into his living-room, uninvitingly taking a seat on his couch. The room was a mess, there were beer bottles laying around, a couple were empty, some were yet to be drank, and there was the mostly eaten pizza on the coffee table, too. In his defense, however, he wasn't expecting anyone, most certainly not a woman as breathtaking as this stranger was.

"I—I'm sorry, I didn't get your name," Robin stuttered.

"It's because I never gave it away," she retorted, staring up at him beneath her thick lashes, her lips tugging upward into a smile. "I know who you are, though," she purred.

"Oh?" His brows knitted in confusion and he folded his arms over his chest, and she hummed, nodding in confirmation.

"Robin Locksley," she began. "You're a very kind man, you know. You pretend to be this big, heartless guy who hates everyone and everything…but that's not who you are."

"And I assume you know who I am?" he asked, adding, "Aside from my name, that is. Everyone here knows it. Robin Locksley, the most hateful man in the neighborhood."

She nodded again, got up and walked straight to him. "I do," she whispered after a moment, her head slightly tilted to the side, and her hand reaching up, the back of it brushing over his cheek. "You took in a beaten and a mistreated cat under your care, if just for a night, and you fed her, kept her warm. And of all cats, it was a _black_ cat, an omen of everything bad and terrible, but you didn't care." His eyes widened, but she continued, "Did you know that before you, she followed six other people, four ignored her, one kicked her to the side, and the other abused her and left her for _death_?" she emphasized the word, her arm dropping to her side again, and she smiled. "You didn't, though. Yes, you pushed her away but even then you were gentle with her. She tested your boundaries and…you ignored it."

"I— but— how—"

"So many unfinished questions all in one go," she chuckled. "So many and yet, I'm afraid I can't answer them all for you. I will, however, tell you a little secret." She stepped closer, her lips ghosting over his ear, and she whispered, "You should listen to the old wives' tales, but not all black cats are terrible, I promise you this, but all black cats are mystical. Thank you for taking care of me."

And she left.

He was too dumbfounded by everything that he was frozen in place, blue eyes bulging at everything she said. None of it made sense, she couldn't have possibly been the cat, but she knew things no one else would've known. Perhaps she was right, perhaps not all myths were just that…myths.

* * *

 **A/N:** Okay, it was weird, I know, but that's how the story went as we were told, minus the whole Regina caressing Robin's cheek and all that. And, if I recall correctly, I think the man was looked over or protected or something, which makes me think that cat (if it was real) was probably a demon or some shit. Anyways, I hope y'all enjoyed it, if not, I'm sorry! I'll probably base a lot of them over stories I heard growing up or things that have happened to me or people I know.


	2. Blood

**A/N:** Even though I'm uploading this just minutes after midnight, I finished the one-shot before it, so that still counts, right? I hope so! Anyways, I got this idea from True Blood. I know right? Who would've thunk? True _Blood_. Without further ado (I love this sentence), enjoy the second day of **SpookyOQ**.

 **Rating:** M-ish

 **Disclaimer:** I still don't own anything but my mistakes, which, should you see them, please point them out, thank you.

* * *

 **Blood**

* * *

Vampires were great at sex. At least, that's what she heard from the legends and myths going around town. Being the blood-thirsty creatures of the night that they were, vampires were said to be rough in bed, and unlike the sozzled knuckleheads she'd been with every night of her life, they knew how to please a woman. The fables claimed they'd go on for hours on end, stop at nothing, feed and then fuck, or feed _and_ fuck, take whatever they want.

But they also weren't real.

Vampires, just like werewolves, dwarves, and other humanoid mythical creatures, didn't exist. They were stories made up to frighten little children into staying home after nightfall and going to bed early, so the big, mean vampires won't sink their pearly white, sharp fangs into their necks and drain them, or to strike terror into the whores like her by old preachers attempting to guide them out of the sinful brothels and towards the shrines of God, one step closer to Heaven. It didn't work, it never did. It gave her and the other girls extra topics to gossip about, though.

Hair-raising stories started rumors when women came forward, claiming they've been with these beasts at some point, revealing the two healing punctures in their necks or the inside of their thighs as a proof. Though, it wasn't enough for anyone to believe. Anything could've caused their injuries, it could even be self-inflected because vampires, whether they existed or not, were described as dangerous varmints, leaving a trail of blood and corpses wherever they went. The women in question were well and alive, nothing but two scars marking their bodies. However, it was understandable. They lived in a tinpot town, the attention brought to them from those stories would've done them good. It would've earned them some fame, enough to get them some money to help their poor situations.

"Are you done for the night?" Malaney asked. She was one of the handful of girls around the brothel Regina didn't clash with. They weren't friends, but they were _friendly_ to a certain degree, mainly because their personalities were identical. They were both crude and stubborn, and they both submitted to this life at the tender age of seventeen. Malaney, or Mal as she preferred to be called, was older. She was much more experienced and she guided Regina through her first days, gave her a list of all the things she needed to memorize, the things she should and shouldn't do. Mal's first rule was to always be strong and prepared. She'd come across all sorts of men; the big, the small, the ones that reeked, the ones that dominated, the ones that had certain fetishes and demands, and on rare occasions, some that were high-profile. Regina despised those, they were too cocky, arrogant even though half of them couldn't even get it up, but they paid well.

"I am," Regina confirmed, hands reaching behind her to unlace her corset. "Disappointed, as usual but that's not a surprise — do you know that not a single man out of the dozens I had tonight managed to satisfy me? Not even _one_ of them," she scoffed. "I just laid there and moaned as though I was having the time of my life, possibly boasted their ego, too. I had to even ask one of them if he was already in because I couldn't feel a thing, apparently he'd been in for a good minute," she trailed off with a shrug, and Mal laughed behind her, swatting her hands away to get the rest of the laces. "Do you ever get used to it? I know I'm not and I've been doing this for almost five years now."

"You do realize every person is different than the other, don't you?" Mal husked. "I got used to this life a year after getting into it. Perhaps you're not because you're expecting much more from those schmucks than what they're willing to offer. Get your head out of the clouds, Regina. You won't find your Prince Charming here, definitely not in those men. They come to the cathouse seeking pleasure, not a wife."

"You don't know that," Regina muttered, and frankly, neither did she. She was holding onto that tiny speck of hope that something, rather _someone_ might come along and carry her out of this gutter. Who could blame her? She lived an abhorrent life, dreaming was her only escape.

"I do," Mal affirmed, turning her around and cupping her face forcefully in-between her forefinger and thumb. "Listen to me, Regina. Stop fantasying about a life of love and riches, your life doesn't even belong to you anymore. Your life— _all_ of our lives belong to Gold. The only way to get it back is to pay him and you can't afford that, and do you truly think any man would pay a hefty amount for a whore?"

Regina pursed her lips and averted her eyes, pushing the blonde's hand away. Mal was right, she would never admit it out loud, but she was right. Who would pay for her to gain her freedom? Anyone with half a brain and money to spare. Anybody else would pay to claim her as their own, and that latter was likely to happen.

"You'll get used to it," Mal swore, tucking a strand behind Regina' s ear. "You just have to stop believing in the things that will never happen. Now, you be careful on the way back home."

* * *

Regina never got used to it.

Months flew by and everything was still the same, the only difference there was is that she believed in the good a little less, and she stopped dreaming entirely of the day her knight in a shining armor would come around and sweep her off her feet. She wasn't a damsel in distress, she would never label herself as one, but she couldn't deny the fact that she needed some help to get out of this place. But one man in after another, and it felt less and less possible.

"I thought you were done for the night," Mal commented with creased brows at the sight of Regina reapplying her makeup.

"I thought so, too," Regina sighed, setting the lipstick tube on the vanity in front of her. She stared long and hard at her reflection through the mirror and frowned. This wasn't her — the crazy hairdo, the heavy makeup, the lingerie. But that's all she'd seen for the past five years, she didn't recognize herself without it all anymore. "Apparently there's a customer that came here specifically for me, and you know Gold, he never turns down a dime."

"But—"

"Our lives—" Regina interrupted, turning around to face Mal with a deadpan expression. "Don't belong to us," she reminded. "We ought to get used to it, don't we? I'll see you tomorrow at dusk."

In the nearby room, Regina found her client waiting for her on the bed with his back turned to her. From what she could see, he was nicely dressed, cladded in a fitted suit. He was wealthy, she heard from the girls whispering outside that he offered to pay Gold twice the usual for the sake of having her, and that intimidated her. Although she hadn't been with one in a long time, all the well-heeled men she'd ever been with were harsh and controlling; she certainly wasn't looking forward to this.

"Good evening," she greeted in a husked tone, and the man jumped on his feet. She flinched back against the door, preparing herself for the worst, after all, most that came were drunk and needed to get off, they didn't waste a single second with her. But he took her completely by surprise when he bowed his head and flashed her a genuine smile, and Gods, she didn't realize how handsome he was at first glance. He was making her all tingly on the inside with those deep pair of dimples on either of his cheeks and his baby blue eyes.

"Good evening, Miss Mills," he replied.

"R—Regina will do."

"Regina," he repeated with a nod, his smile only growing. "It's a lovely name for a beautiful lady like yourself." He had manners, too. What on earth brought him to this filth?

Unlike the others, he didn't yank her to him and roughly rip apart her lingerie, then throw her down on the bed and take her however he pleased. Instead, he extended his hand and patiently waited for her to slip hers into it, and when she did, he pulled her flush against him, tucked a strand behind her ear, and lowered his mouth to her neck. He was cold, that was the first thing she took notice of, every touch made her shiver, but it wasn't in any way unpleasant.

He latched onto her, sucking and nipping at her smooth, olive skin, and usually she would be against it, she was opposed to anyone marking her, but he barely started and she was lost in the way he made her feel. To hell with the lovebites he'd leave behind, neck kisses made her knees grow weak, she never knew that until now. She also enjoyed the attention that was given to her breasts as much as she enjoyed everything else, from the way his lips closed around her sensitive nipples and his tongue flicked over them, to the way he teased them by rolling them between his fingers and tugging at them.

It was all too wonderful, incredible. It was going better than she thought it would, until she felt something sharp graze along her neck, pressing lightly into her skin. She wasn't sure if it was a figment of her imagination or if she was truly feeling his…teeth on her. It was odd, but her mind was hazy from the feeling of him being buried to the hilt inside her, she couldn't be sure. She didn't stress over it and focused on the feeling of his cock slamming into her with force, his pelvis rubbing against her clit with every thrust. It was too much pleasure, it felt greater than all the times she used her fingers to feel something…she was almost there, then it happened again, his teeth pressed into her, a little harder this time.

"What are you doing?" Regina whispered, the fear evident in her voice.

"I'm sorry," he grunted. "I—I can't control it, I'm sorry."

It confused her, but the words died at the tip of her tongue when his teeth punctured through her skin, sending a wave of pain through her body. Her nails dug into his back as she stiffened and panicked, but only for a split second before realization set in. A vampire. Those were _fangs_ and he was a _vampire_. All the women that came forward about being with those beasts were telling the truth, they existed. She didn't fight him, she didn't push him away and scream for help, she tilted her head slightly to the side and gave him a better access to her neck, one hand pressing to the back of his head, bringing him even closer.

* * *

Never in her wildest dreams did Regina think the day would come where she would be bedded by a vampire, a creature she didn't believe existed until now. He wasn't hideous as she expected his kind to look like, he was striking, and he wasn't vicious, either. The sex was rough but not painfully so, and he healed the wounds he inflected on her and apologized, too. Aside from the fact that he drank her blood and savored every drop of it, he almost appeared as a normal human being.

"How come you've got a reflection?" she inquired, gazing over at him as he tidied himself up in front of the mirror. "I thought your kind couldn't be seen through mirrors."

He chuckled, "That's a myth."

"What else is a myth?" she asked, propping herself up on her elbow.

"A lot of things," he answered, fastening the last button on his shirt as he turned around to face her with a smile. "That we can shift into bats, that's not true. Garlic doesn't keep us away, at least, not in a way a holy water or a cross would shoo a demon, and speaking of crosses, those don't work on us, either."

"Do you sleep in coffins or do you have to be buried in the ground?"

"Coffins, although we do get buried at one point, but that's a different story," he explained, then bent down to kiss the top of her head. "I'm afraid I have to leave, it's almost dawn."

"So that's true? You can't walk in daylight?"

He nodded, "And our day is your night, if we don't lay down, we get tired."

"Take me with you," she blurted out.

"Regina—"

"No, take me with you," she repeated, this time in a more demanding manner. "You can feed off me, I'll accept the fate of being your bloodbag over living in this brothel for another day. Please, let me go with you."

But he declined, shaking his head in refusal, and she felt the tears well up in her eyes, hoping that they would be enough to convince him to change his mind, but he gathered the remainder of his clothes, and in a blink, he disappeared. Leaving her without a second glance, a second thought about taking her with him.

He was her only way out, he could've been, in a way, her knight in a shining armor, but he was gone, and she didn't even know his name.

* * *

 **A/N:** You don't have to say it, I already know the brief smutty paragraph was awful and pretty cringy, I'm sorry, I tried, I really tried. Reviews will be appreciated, though, thank you!


	3. Bones

**A/N:** This is a lighthearted one-shot, a change from the ones I uploaded before and the one I'll upload after it, it's also a lot shorter, there's a reason to that. You see, wise people would write everything beforehand, I, however, a complete idiot, am writing everything on the day of the prompt. I'm rambling, I'm sorry, but long story short, I wasn't feeling good all day, so I neglected it until the evening and that's all I managed to write. I swear it was lengthier in my head.

 **Rating:** K

 **Disclaimer:** Nope, still don't own anything but my mistakes.

* * *

 **Bones**

* * *

For someone who was fond of isolation and living alone, Regina handled it well when Robin and Roland moved in. It was pleasant. She enjoyed being in a mansion that wasn't so quiet and empty anymore, and sleeping next to someone and cuddle up into them during the colder nights. Who would've ever thought that the great and infamous Queen of death would enjoy being held?

She hated changes, too, but she adjusted perfectly to adding another toothbrush and a couple of towels to her bathroom, and an extra pillow on the bed beside her. Cooking was also a ball when it came to preparing food for more than a single person or two, especially with Roland taking over the role of being her little helper. She loved it. He reminded her so much of Henry when he was around his age; so curious, full of questions, and always eager to measure out and add the ingredients, or stir them in. Stirring was his favorite part, he told her so every time they stepped a foot into the kitchen.

But just like any other regular human being, Regina had her pet peeves.

She absolutely hated it when Robin would leave the toilet seat up or forget to close the toothpaste cap once he's done brushing his teeth, or when he'd fail to mention that they were out of toilet roll in the bathroom and she'd have to learn the hard way. He lived in the forest for the majority of his life where indoor plumbing wasn't a thing, and she understood. She tried to be as patient as she could with him, but after repeating the same exact sentence every other day for months, it got too maddening to brush off.

"How many times have I told you to close the cap on the toothpaste?" Regina snarled, angrily clutching onto the minty tube in her hand.

"I'm sorry." There he goes again with his apology, his bottom lip sticking out in a little pout. "I was in a hurry today, lovely. I completely forgot about it."

"Your sorry won't get these ants out of here," she huffed, shaking the toothpaste in his face. "They're all over the brim. I won't be surprised if these little suckers made their way inside, too." Robin opened his mouth but she shut him down before he managed to utter a word, holding her other hand up to silence him. "This is the second tube this week alone, thief, and the week isn't even over yet. Do you know how irritating it is that I have to remind you every single day to do the simplest things?" She tossed aside the tube and lunged forward, squishing his face in her hands. "It drives me crazy," she underlined every word in a hiss.

Perhaps she was overreacting a tad. She did tend to get a little crazy and dramatic whenever she was on her period as a result of the constant cramping and lack of sleep, and he was managing to get on her every nerve lately.

"I'm sorry," he repeated. He was, she had no doubt that his apology was bona fide, but that didn't mean he wouldn't slip and do it again the next day.

Regina clicked her tongue and shook her head, letting go of his face. "Saying it again won't do. I think you need a little something else to make sure you actually remember everything I told you."

"Should I be worried?" he droned.

She crossed her arms and shook her head, but as soon as he relaxed back into his seat and breathed out of relief, she smiled smugly. "You should be _really_ worried." With the snap of her fingers, a cloud of purple whirled around him, and when it disappeared, he was nothing but a skeleton wearing clothes three times its size.

"Regina!" he exclaimed. "W—what did you do to me? Why's everything black? Did you just make me blind?"

Oh. Right. His eyes. Obviously he couldn't see without them. "Sorry, I forgot about the whole _skeletons don't have eyeballs_ , but I guess you need them to help you move around without bumping into everything."

"Skele— wait, what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about—" she tugged him up on his feet with ease, moving him in front of the mirror, and with a wide grin, she flicked her wrist, giving him his vision back, "—this."

Robin screamed, a loud, feminine shriek she wouldn't have believed came from him had she not been there to see it with her own eyes, and she couldn't contain her laughter, cackling hysterically at his reaction. Maybe that'll teach him a lesson.

"What in Gods name— Regina! Give it back!" he screeched.

"Give what back, dear?"

"You know what," he growled. "My—my _skin_ , my— how I used to be!"

"Where's the fun in that?" she pulled a face, batting her eyelashes ever-so-sweetly.

"There's nothing fun about this, either. And my— oh, God, my dick. Regina, what'd you do to my dick?

"Skeletons don't have… _dicks._ "

* * *

He wasn't happy about what she did, he didn't need facial expressions to show his annoyance, he did just fine making it clear by huffing every two minutes, shifting nonstop in his seat, and mumbling incoherently under his breath. And Regina didn't make his situation any better, taunting him with silly puns and stupid jokes.

"Hey, Robin. Why didn't the skeleton dance at the Halloween party?" she smiled broadly. "Because he had _no body_ to dance with!" she bursted out in a fit of giggles, though he didn't find it amusing, not even one bit. "Okay, okay, here's another one. When does a skeleton laugh?" He didn't answer, only narrowing his eyes in her direction. "When something tickles his funny bone!" she wheezed, quite proud of herself and the ridiculous little jokes she was making.


	4. Cemetery

**A/N:** I'm sorry. That's all I've got to say, I'm sorry. And oh! For extra fun (agony) you might wanna google the meaning of the flowers listed in this one-shot. It's completely AU, it has nothing to do with the show, just to make it less confusing.

 **Rating:** T

 **Disclaimer:** still don't own nothing but my mistakes.

* * *

 **Cemetery**

* * *

He was late. He was sixteen minutes and twenty three seconds late to be precise.

 _Twenty four…twenty five…twenty six…_

Regina won't be happy about it, he could already envision her sitting with a scowl on her face, impatiently tapping her foot on the ground. One of the things that peeved her so much about him was whenever was late to something, and unfortunately, it happened often. Be it running late to pick their daughter from daycare or not showing up to their dates in time, but this wasn't any ordinary date, it was their fourth anniversary.

They weren't married, not yet, anyways, but they've been together for four years. They both agreed to wait until they were financially stable, and he wanted to give her the wedding of her dreams, not sign a piece of paper and get it over with. He wanted to see her walking down the aisle dressed in white, he wanted a three-tiered cake with all her favorite combinations. He wanted to give her what she deserved, and frankly, a big wedding wasn't half of it. Regina deserved the world.

She was right where he expected her to be, sitting on the bench with the exact scowl he imagined her wearing, and despite the frown, she looked absolutely breathtaking, very adorable, too, if he may add. She always looked rather cute whenever she was angry, never really terrifying, and he teased her about it all the time.

"Sorry I'm late, my love," Robin apologized, but as sincere as he was, she completely ignored him. She folded her arms, heaved out a huff, and looked in the other direction. "I know I say this every time, but I really am sorry," he repeated, lowering himself beside her. "I got you flowers," he tried, holding out the bouquet of light purple lilacs and sweet peas. They weren't her favorites, though, he knew that. She didn't have a favorite, every flower was just as pretty as the other in her opinion. She took the bouquet and set it right down beside her. Still, she didn't utter a word. "I even bought you a box of your favorite chocolate, it's in the car."

After a long moment of silence, she gave in with a sigh. "Will you ever stop doing this? Being late to about everything."

"I promise you I'll do my best to get rid of this habit," he vowed, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "Now," he stood up, extending his hand to her, "we've got a dinner reservation at your favorite restaurant."

Regina didn't fight him, she didn't argue and call off the night, she didn't even speak to him after they made their way into the car. She sat quietly in the passenger's seat and gazed outside of the window. Her silence was worse than being at each other's throats. He didn't mean to disappoint her, this wasn't how he intended for this night to go. It was meant to be special, they were meant to dine at the restaurant she loved so much and he couldn't stand, then go for a walk on the beach under the moonlight where he planned on proposing, for real this time, with an actual ring — that ring she'd been eyeing for as long as he could remember, the one that had him running late.

At the red light, Robin turned the radio on, and his lips tugged upward into a smile at the song that was playing. _Only You._

"Remember this song?" he asked, glancing over at Regina. "That was the song that was playing when we first met."

"I remember."

"You hated it so much at first," he chuckled, "and then one day, out of nowhere, you just started singing it."

He recalled that day clearly. She was twenty two weeks pregnant at the time when they learned they were going to be having a baby girl, and she insisted on painting her nursery on the same day. They bought three pints of different shades of pink paint, lined the floor with old newspapers, and got to work. Halfway through, she began humming the song, and when he started singing it, she jumped right in and sang along with him. It was a marvelous day, they ended up with more paint on themselves and their clothing than they did on the walls.

"Come on, sing along with me," he implored.

"Robin, stop."

"Oh, come on, Regina!"

"Robin—"

"Sing with me," he pressed, his hand reaching for hers as he sang his heart out, excitement coursing through him.

"I said stop!" she exclaimed, yanking her hand back, and he did. He stopped. "People are staring, Robin. You're making a fool out of yourself."

He looked over to his side, and true to her words, people were staring, they were also laughing at him, mocking him.

* * *

They were both quiet for the remainder of the ride, and the dinner was just as awkward. Regina didn't talk, every try at a conversation he would attempt, she would end with a shrug or a nod, or a two word sentence. She didn't even touch her food, not even a nibble, and it was her pick. It brought so much unwanted attention to the two of them, people stared, the waitress came over a few times, asking if everything was alright. It wasn't. Nothing was alright. It was their anniversary and it felt as though they were on the brink of splitting over something so stupid.

They got their food to-go and left the restaurant, and the ride back was just as quiet, until Regina cleared her throat and broke her silence.

"Stop the car."

It wasn't the apology he was expecting from her, it wasn't her explanation to why she reacted the way she did the entire night.

"What?" he asked, completely dumbfounded.

"Stop the car," she said again. "I have to go."

"What do you mean you have to go?"

"Just stop the car," she pleaded, and when he did, she stepped outside, abandoning everything; her purse, her heels…him. It confused him. She'd been off all night, but this was beyond weird.

Robin parked the car, killed off the engine, and followed her. He didn't call out for her or stop her, knowing how stubborn she was, he didn't bother. She wouldn't respond until she felt like it, that's how she'd always been. She continued walking among the stones, quiet and calm, and under the moonbeam, she was radiating. She was a beauty, despite the tension between them and everything that went down earlier, her sight still made him smile. Then she stopped, her gaze falling to the ground, and he walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. Contrary to what he believed, she didn't wriggle out of his embrace, she relaxed back into him and sighed.

"For how long do you plan on doing this?" she whispered. "How long are you going to keep holding onto an illusion, Robin?" He frowned but didn't speak, and she continued, "It isn't healthy, you know. It won't do you any good, it won't do our daughter any good."

"I'll do it for as long as I could," he mumbled, his voice wavering, his grip tightening around her.

"You have to learn to let go."

"I won't."

Regina twisted in his arms and reached up to hold his face in her hands, forcing him to look down at her. Her eyes gleamed, they always had this spark in them, and his own glistened with unshed tears. "You have to find another way to grieve, this— reserving a table for two in a restaurant you hate, and then showing up alone and pretending I'm there. Robin, people will think you're crazy, they'll think you're an unfit parent."

"But—"

"Promise me you'll learn to let go."

He shook his head. How was he supposed to let go? He didn't want to, he couldn't, he didn't know _how_ to let go. His entire life couldn't have prepared him for this. Since birth, he was taught what love was, how to give it and how to receive it, but never once did he come face to face with loss.

"Close your eyes," she cooed. "Close your eyes and think of the happier times."

And he did. He closed his eyes and thought of every single moment he spent with her, and when he opened them again, she was gone. He was alone in a cemetery at night, alone with only the painful reminder of the fact that she once existed in front of him.

 **Regina Marie Mills**

 **Feb 2, 1989 — Oct 4, 2015**

Nothing else, nothing more, because no amount of words in the world would've described just how wonderful Regina had been. She was much more than an obedient daughter, more than a loving fiancée, more than a wonderful mother.

* * *

"Daddy?"

Robin hummed, prying his eyes away from the fairytale book he had open in his hands down to his daughter. "What's wrong, Evelyn?"

"Do you think we can talk about mommy again tonight? I miss talking about her. We didn't do it for a very long time," she nodded in affirmation and let out a dramatic sigh, and he laughed at her exaggeration, setting the book aside. There won't be any need of it anymore.

"We talked about mommy last night, silly. But of course we can, what do you know this time?"

"Was she really the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world?"

"Oh, princess, she was the fairest of them all."

"Fairester than Snow White?" she gasped.

"Fairer," he corrected with a laugh and nodded his head. "She was the most gorgeous lady I've ever seen, and she had the brightest smile."

"And brown eyes like mine!"

"And brown eyes just like yours. And she loved you so, very much."

* * *

 **A/N:** Hi again, I'm sorry. Reviews are very much appreciated! Thank you for reading.


	5. Curse

**A/N:** Okay, so technically where I am, it's already day six of SpookyOQ. I finished this way before midnight but my laptop restarted before I managed to save the last few paragraphs, therefore, they're sloppy and cringy, I apologize for that. I'll rewrite them in the morning, I'm not proud of them. And the internet stopped working, too, so I couldn't really update when I wanted to. I feel like I butchered the idea I had in my mind when I put it in words and I hate it.

 **Rating:** T

 **Disclaimer:** Don't own anything but my mistakes.

* * *

 **Curse**

* * *

He wasn't a King, but even the trees bowed down to him in respect. He was an ordinary man with a couple of silver in hand and a massive heart, nothing more, nothing less, but the people adored him for who he was. His home was the forest, his cot was a blanket of green grass and his roof was the sky. The blue bloods despised him, they branded him as a _bandit,_ a _marauder,_ a _thief_. Granted, he stole from the rich and gave to the poor, but he never purloined for his own pleasure. He did what any man with a sense of rightfulness would do, he did what he had to do in order for the villagers in his kingdom to live a decent life, one where their thirst is always quenched and their hunger is nonexistent.

He was a gentleman in raggedy clothes, a humbled hero, a mysterious outlaw, but first and foremost, he was her lover.

Their first meeting took place when she was ploughing the land with her father and he was a passerby. Clumsy as she was, she tripped over her own feet and fell, and he hurried to her side at the sound of her yelp, carried her into her family cottage, and brought her a healer to look over her injured ankle. It was twisted, the healing process would take weeks; five, the least. It was horrible news for a family that was penniless. Her father was an old man, he was feeble, his frail back couldn't possible handle the hard labor of harvesting and working on the crop on his own, and her mother was a toffee-nosed, royal wannabe, she'd rather die over lifting a finger. And with her unable to move for a long while, they'd lose their only source of living.

That's when _he_ aided them. Her knight in a shining armor showed up everyday at the break of dawn to their farm and toiled daylight away, expecting nothing in return, _refusing_ anything in return.

It was hard not to fall in love with him.

He was imperfect, he had his flaws. For starters, his first gift to her was a stolen apple. She chastised him over it, dragged him by the ear to the huckster he stole from to apologize, and he did, sincerely. He was an honest thief, but a thief nonetheless. He was juvenile, too. He was a big child who loved running up and down the hill, jumping in muddy puddles, chasing around squirrels and deers, but those were just the handful of things of the many reasons why her love for him grew with every beat of her heart.

They wasted their days laying down in flowery meadows, sneaking away kisses, featherlight touches, and innocent caresses. But love, as beautiful as it was, as magical as it was, it wasn't easy. There was a hindrance standing in the way of their happiness, and it was none other than the King himself. King Nottingham.

The slimeball had an unhealthy obsession with her, it was sickening, truly. He would use excuses, whatever they may be, to see her, if just a glance from a far. It left her with a sense of uneasiness. It started out harmless enough, he would stop by her family farm and greet them, and to impress her, he would offer a helping hand, not literally, though. He was far too superior to help around shoveling farm animals' waste, but his visits would give her mother something to boast about. After all, it wasn't every day that a daughter of a peasant would catch the eyes of a King. However, after a while and after realizing her heart would never belong to him, that it belonged to another, things took a turn for the worse.

King Nottingham sent out an order to capture her lover, dead or alive, it mattered not to him. He was willing to do whatever it takes to have her, even if it meant destroying her soul in the process. To him, she was a possession he had to have, and being a King, born with a sliver spoon in his mouth, for her to turn him down, demolished his pride.

That's when it all started, when they abandoned their old lives and their home became the wilderness, their job became provoking the rich. That's when her lover became the villagers' lionheart and she became his right hand.

* * *

"Perhaps we should travel up north," Robin suggested, his hand soothing over Regina's untamed, raven locks. Her hair had grown quite a bit over the past few months, she needed a trim, better yet, a good chop to get rid of a few inches. Her head felt a little heavy and her curls were hard to comb through. "I think that's exactly what we should do, head north and on the way, we could stop by and check on your parents."

"It has been a while since we did," she agreed. It'd been five months exactly since she heard anything about her parents, they weren't doing so great. Her father had been sick, nothing too worrisome, just a bit of a cough, but he was an old man, she was bound to worry too much. Her mother…well, her mother was just the same as she'd been for the entirety of her life.

"Do you think they'd be thrilled?" he asked, his other hand brushing over the small curve of her stomach.

There it was, that little bump, the tiny life that grew inside of her. It was small, barely noticeable at first glance, and second, almost nonexistent at all underneath any of her dresses, either, but it was there. It came as a surprise, a baby was certainly not on the list of what they had planned for their future, at least, not the near future. It had them both panicking, both in tears, but as soon as the shock passed, they felt nothing but joy.

"I think my father's going to be," she mumbled, tilting her head back to look at him. "My mother…you know, I just don't care what my mother would think. I'm happy, you're happy. We're having a baby, Robin, that's all that matters."

"I think you're absolutely right," he whispered, dropping a kiss to her head, and she relaxed back into him, her cheek resting atop of his chest. "I also happen to think that the name _Roland_ for a boy would be delightful."

Regina laughed, rolling her eyes at his choice of name. He always came up with the unusual ones. Enix, Barlow, Apollo, Flint, Kraven, Oxley, and now, Roland. It wasn't too bad, though, if she had to be completely honest with herself.

"Come on, it's a beautiful name!" Robin insisted.

"And what if it's a girl?"

"Ro…linda?"

She snorted, shaking her head. "We're _not_ naming our child that!"

"But those are sweet names," he protested with a chuckle. "Just imagine, Roland or Rolinda Locksley."

"Yeah, no, that's not happening." She turned to her side and looked up at him with a beaming face. "But do you know what's going to happen? You're going to go to the marketplace and buy me a peach or two, the sweet and juicy kind, not the firm and bitter ones."

"And then you'll think about naming the baby Roland?"

"I'll _think_ about it."

That was all the answer he needed to get going, scrambling out of bed and hurrying out of the Inn they decided to spend their evening at.

Peaches. That was all she wanted, she'd been craving them for the past couple of weeks, and fruits seemed to be the only things she could stomach lately, but she got more than what she bargained for.

"Regina!" It was John's voice, one of Robin's most trusted men, followed by repeated loud banging on the wooden door. "Regina!"

She didn't think much of it, he was a big guy, he wasn't very gentle, and he was most likely looking for his friend or coming over to let them know they'd be moving again. That was their life, they moved from one place to another to stay safe.

"Hold on a second," she laughed at his impatience, turning the knob to open the door, and her heart dropped at the sight that greeted her.

Robin. Her Robin laid limply in John's arms, his clothes drenched in his own blood. He was unconscious, he wasn't moving, had it not been for his chest rising and falling ever so slightly with every soft breath he took, she would've believed he was gone.

"W—what happened?" she sobbed, unable to process any of it. He was fine. He left the inn with excitement, flashing her those precious dimples on the way out, though when he left for two hours on a trip that shouldn't have even taken half an hour from him, she should've known something wasn't right.

"Nottingham," John gritted through clenched teeth, carefully laying Robin down on the mattress. "Nottingham found him in the market— God, Regina. I told him countless times to never leave without a weapon, a dagger, anything."

"Nottingham is here?" her eyes widened in alarm.

"He is," John confirmed. "Which is why we have to get you out of here."

"What about Robin?"

"Regina—"

"He's wounded, John. He won't be able to ride a horse."

"Regina," he tried again.

"I'm not leaving him," she argued, lowering herself on the bed beside her lover. His eyes were closed, not even flickering, and he was paler than the norm, but if she looked past those and the pool of blood he was laying in, she would've easily believe he was just asleep, taking a quick nap before he'd roll over and wrap his arms around her, then mumble against her neck just how much he loves her.

"He won't make it, Regina, he lost a lot of blood." John rested a hand over her shoulder, giving it a squeeze, but it didn't comfort her, not a bit. "And I know Robin, he wouldn't want any harm to come to you…or that little one you're carrying. Please, Regina. Everyone else is waiting for you outside, it's just a matter of time before Nottingham and his men find us here."

"Go," she snapped, "but I'm not leaving him alone. I'm not giving up on him just because you did."

"Regina, it's not that—"

"John!" one of their men shouted from the outside, panic rising in his tone. "Hurry up, Nottingham is getting closer to here!"

"Regina," John pleaded, but she shook her head in refusal. What was life without him anyways? Was she being selfish considering she was with child? Maybe. But she couldn't be sufficed with just a small part of him. "That's it," John huffed, his large arms wrapping around her and scooping her up, taking her completely by surprise. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

"No, no— John, no— let go of me!" she wailed, twisting and flailing her arms in attempt to grasp onto Robin or the bed, anything to stop John from dragging her away, but he was too strong.

This wasn't how their story was meant to end. They were supposed to live happily ever after with their child, somewhere where sunflowers grew in big fields and horses ran free, as free as them from Nottingham and everyone else that wished them harm. Instead, she found herself surrounded by a bunch of men mourning a hero that wasn't dead, yet. A hero that would've still been here, still been well if it weren't for those stupid peaches she wanted. It was all her fault, she had to make it right, somehow.

It didn't take long for the men to fall asleep, they were tired, they've been on the run until dusk, and that was her cue to leave. Being around a band of thieves for too long and in love with one, too, sneaking away without them noticing was a breeze, but the hard task was yet to come.

There were folk tales about a sorcerer that lived on the highest peak of the tallest mountain in the kingdom. He was said to be the strongest of all magical creatures that nothing was impossible to him. He turned straw into gold, he made royalty of peasants, he pollinated a dessert. Surely, he can give life to the dead, too. Fortunately to her, the mountain was just across the river, the problem, however, was getting all the way up to the castle where he lived. It was too far up, all the way where the sky met the earth, all the way where the clouds seemed within an arm's reach, but if he could do something, give her back Robin, she'd do it all.

As tired as Regina was, she never gave up. She dragged her aching feet up the mountain until she reached the sorcerer's home. It was larger than she thought it would be, the door itself was twice her size, she couldn't help but wonder if he was some sort of a giant. Panting, she brought her fist up to knock on the door when it opened on its own, startling her. It was a bad sign, she should never step into a place uninvitingly, especially somewhere where doors open on their own, still, she wasn't going to run away, not after she made it this far.

"Hello?" she called out, as quietly as possible, and as soon as she stepped in the door slammed shut behind her, making her to jump in her place.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, dearie?" someone asked in a rather gleeful tone.

"I…I…"

"I assume you came all the way here for something and I don't think it's to stutter. Speak up."

Regina gulped, nodding her head and fidgeting with the brim of the cloak she wore. "I need a favor," she said in uncertainty.

"Everyone that comes here usually does," the voice shrieked with laughter. "Tell me, is it wealth you want or do you want to marry a prince?"

"It's—"

"I already know," he interrupted.

A blow of cool air and the candles went off, and she could feel her heart pounding against her ribcage. This wasn't a good idea, but nothing she ever did came from good ideas. There was a whoosh, and when the candles lit up again, a figure stood in front of her. Eyes big and wild, skin scaly, glistening under the light like diamonds, and the most spine-chilling grin on _its_ face. This beast had to be the sorcerer.

"You lost a love and you want it back, am I right?" he asked, and she quietly nodded her head, averting her eyes. Staring is rude, she reminded herself, as intriguing as his appearance was. "You wasted your time. Magic has rules, there are boundaries even _I_ can't cross. You cannot bring back the dead."

"But he's not dead!" she shouted, taking aback by her own tone. "H—he's not dead, I can feel it, I can feel that he's still alive."

"But do you know for sure?"

"No," she whispered. "But please, I will do anything. I can feel it in my heart and my heart is telling me that he _is_ still alive."

He clicked his tongue, "Anything?"

"Anything," she repeated.

"Well," the sorcerer flopped down on the chair and stared up at her, a smirk tugging at his lips. "There is one thing I can think of, but you must know, everything comes with a price."

"And it's a price I'm willing pay for his life."

He breathed out heavily and leaned back, crossing his arms in front of him. "This man, Robin, am I right?" At her nod, he continued, "He's almost gone."

"Then do something—" her words faltered when he raised his hand to silence her.

"You said you will give anything for him to live," gone was his overly joyous tone, replaced by another that sent a shiver down her spine. "Whatever the price might be, you're willing to pay it." She nodded again. "Are you willing to sacrifice _everything_? Every memory you had with him, every moment you spent with him."

Regina hesitated, but she nodded her head. She'd it all if it makes him well and keeps him safe. "Whatever it takes."

* * *

 _"_ _Whatever it takes," Regina said. She was willing to live her life without him in order to save him, a life where she may never see him smile again or hear his voice, listen to him tell her that he loves her. That's what true love was; sacrifice. "But I nee—need something, I need to know that he's alive, that he's going to be alright," she pleaded, and the sorcerer waved a hand, and in a magical mirror, the image of her true love appeared._

 _He was laying exactly where they left him at the inn, unmoving, and then all of the sudden, he drew out a long breath and his eyes blinked open. He was alive, and judging by the way he sat up, examining his own body, he was well, too._

 _"_ _So, dearie. I kept my word—"_

 _"_ _And I'm keeping mine. Whatever the price is."_

 _The price was a curse. A dark curse, as the sorcerer called it. He created it for reasons that were unknown, kept it for the right moment, waiting for the right person to help him enact it, and it just so happened to be Regina, the daughter of an ordinary farmer. Her love for Robin was too strong, and she was willing; it was the key to act out the curse._

 _The curse brought a mist of green over the kingdom, and when it passed, they were gone. Regina, Robin, and the sorcerer. They disappeared to where, hopefully, they could find each other again, fall in love, and be free of Nottingham._

"The end," the boy announced, snapping the book close. "But I'm telling you, there something about this story. It's got to be real."

"You said that about spiderman last week," his friend rolled his eyes. "It's not real, it's just a story."

"No it's not, it's real. I mean, everything makes sense with Regina and Robin and—"

"Roland," a woman called out, stepping into view with a warm smile on her face. She tucked a strand of her short, raven hair behind her ear and beckoned him. "Come on, it's time to go home. It's lasagna night, remember?"

Roland sighed, but nodded his head and slipped the book back into his backpack. It had to be real, and it had to be about him and his mother. It just made sense that way. He was called Roland, the name the Robin in the book liked, and his mother was called Regina, and the ending did say a curse brought them to a new world and removed all their memories. It _had_ to be.

"So, did you enjoy your day at Miss Swan's today?" Regina asked, playfully swinging their arms as they walked down the road.

"It was okay."

"You don't seem so okay, though," she pointed out. "Is something bothering you?"

A lot. A lot of things were bothering him but he couldn't tell her any of them, she'd think he's crazy. Henry did. "It's nothing."

"Honey," she cooed, stopping and lowering herself down to his level. "You know I don't like it when you're sad. Tell me, what's wrong?"

Maybe he could tell her, she was his mother, she might not think he's so crazy. But the instant he opened his mouth, another voice came out, it sounded deep and…British, and certainly not from him.

"Watch out!"

Before either of Regina and Roland could comprehend what was the warning about, a dog came out of nowhere and tackled Regina to the ground, making her grimace as it began lapping at her face, and making Roland giggle.

"I am _so_ sorry," the man apologized, tugging the dog away by the collar.

"Keep it on a damn leash," Regina bit, and the mortified man held up the leash the dog managed to tear into two. "Seriously?"

"I'm afraid so. Are you okay, though? Are you injured, milady?"

"I could've been," she retorted, her eyes narrowed at him. "I could've easily broken a bone or two."

"Are you really not going to say that it could've tackled me and _I_ could've broken a bone?" Roland shook his head in annoyance.

"That, too…" Regina mumbled.

"But you're okay?" the man asked again, quite clearly concerned.

Regina sighed, "I'm fine, but you gotta be a bit more careful. Your dog could seriously hurt someone."

"I know, I'm sorry. It's not mine, though, it's my friend's dog. John told me he could be a little rough, I just didn't know how rough," the man shrugged.

"Did you say John?" Roland chimed in, his eyes widening.

Puzzled, the man nodded his head. "Do you know him?"

Roland pursed his lips and shook his head. The book said only Robin, Regina, and the sorcerer came through, it never said anything about John or the others. This man's friend John couldn't have been the same John.

"We should get going." Regina tugged at her son's hand for his attention, but Roland stood still and looked up at the man again, his brows furrowed in concentration. Blue eyes, light brown hair, dimples. This man did fit Robin's description, but was it really him or was Henry right? It was just a story? He never knew his dad, his mother didn't, either. She could be lying, he knew grownups lied about many things, but if she really didn't, the curse would make even more sense.

"I'm Roland, that's my mom, Regina," he introduced, extending a hand and ignoring his mother's glare.

"Robin," the man said, hesitantly giving the boy's hand a quick shake before withdrawing his own and shoving it in his pocket.

He knew it. What were the odds that he would find someone who fit the book Robin's descriptions that have a friend named John, too? The curse was real, he knew it. Every curse is breakable, and he will break this. All he had to do now is find the sorcerer.

* * *

 **A/N:** I'm sorry for the awful one-shot lol, I appreciate the reviews, though. Thank you for reading.


	6. Fog

**A/N:** I wasn't going to write this, I almost _gave up_ on writing this because I was basing it off a movie I watched a couple of years back with my cousins but couldn't remember anything, well, not much, and I wasn't going to watch that thing, not when I'm home alone. But guess which idiot ended up watching half of it and would probably end up with nightmares for the next three weeks? Me. I might, not for sure but I _might_ consider writing another chapter of this prompt, I think y'all would like the plot twist at the end (no, you really won't like it and you'll probably hate me) Anyhow, enjoy!

 **Rating:** M

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own the movie nor anything that has to do with Once Upon a Time, just my mistakes.

* * *

 **Fog**

* * *

Moving back home to the States wasn't something she intended on doing, she enjoyed her life as it was back in England with her husband, though, circumstances forced them away.

They lost a child, a son, and although it'd been a little over a year since the unfortunate incident, Regina wasn't anywhere past the grieving point. How was a mother supposed to stop mourning her own child, anyways? It was easier on Robin. Six months after and he fell right back into his old self. He smiled, he laughed, he went to work and came back to her, but her smiles never reached her eyes, she didn't laugh, she didn't eat, she slept all day, and she lost her job.

It was SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and it wasn't so common, it was rare, but it happened. There weren't any symptoms, no diagnosis that could've prevented it from happening. It just did. One day they were cooing at a perfectly healthy six-month-old, the next, he was gone.

Her entire life fell apart. No amount of therapy was making her feel any better, she hadn't even gone to the cemetery, not once since their son's funeral, not even to say goodbye as they left the country. The thought alone suffocated her, and it was taking a toll on her marriage. They were distant from one another. They sat in the same room but didn't speak, they slept in the same bed and faced away from each other. It's when Robin quit his job and booked them a one-way flight back to the States. The therapist insisted that being around family would help her some, that it would assist in giving her peace, and because Robin grew up without either of his parents, without any family at all, that is, hers was their only option.

So far, it did nothing.

The plane landed, they got their luggage, and the only sense of familiarity was seeing her mother, her father, and her sister waiting for them at bottom of the escalator, waving for their attention. It was the first time in a very long time that Regina smiled, a somewhat big, sincere smile.

"Finally!" Henry exclaimed, embracing Robin as Cora hurriedly embraced Regina, showering her with kisses. "We were worried that you two won't show up."

Robin let out a weary chuckle, shaking his head. "It was a long flight," he explained.

"Doesn't matter. The only thing that does is that you're both here, you're both alright." Henry pulled back and tugged Regina in his arms, wrapping them tightly around her. That's how he'd always been, very affectionate. He'd go around giving whoever wanted one a hug, he'd make an excellent mall Santa. Her mother, on the other hand, refrained herself from doing so, but not today it seemed.

Her sister, Zelena, came next. They were three years apart but she was her best friend, they did everything together, they shared all their belongings with one another, and what they had was a tight bond, they were always inseparable, so for her to be away for all these years, it was hard.

* * *

It was a long drive from the airport to where their new home was. A recently developed apartment building in the middle of nowhere, and they were their very first guests, It sounded like the start of a horror movie to her. Robin went mad over the place, though, he complimented them, called it luxurious and big, and he promised that she'd love it. She doubted that, she hated living in apartments.

"Did you hear? Mary Margaret just gave birth," Zelena gushed.

"Did she?" Regina hummed, a small smile spreading over her face at the news. Mary Margaret was a close friend of both of them, they all grew up together in the same neighborhood. In spite of what happened to her, she was genuinely happy for her, after all, a family is all Mary Margaret wanted. A husband, a couple of kids, a family pet.

"And Emma, and Ashely," Cora listed from the passenger's seat, glancing back at both her daughters. "All your friends had children."

"Mom," Zelena warned.

"What?" Cora scoffed, shrugging her shoulders. "I didn't say anything wrong. I wanna be a grandma, too." She ignored Henry's sigh and looked over at Regina. "Now that you're back, maybe you should pay Father Gold a visit, he could bless you with another child."

Regina pursed her lips, finding small comfort in the way her husband's hands took a hold of hers. "Yeah, sure."

Though it was evident that Cora wasn't satisfied with her daughter's answer, she didn't argue, didn't press and say anything else on the matter, she turned around and focused on the road ahead of them, instead. There was pity in Robin and Zelena's eyes, sympathy, but rather than focusing on that, Regina gazed outside of the window and watched as the buildings disappeared, a complete nothingness taking over their place. Her husband wasn't kidding when he said they'd live in the middle of nowhere.

 _There is light at the end of every tunnel_ , at least, that's how the saying went, and the irony in is it that as they drove through the tunnel, they found themselves surrounded by fog. It heavy, blinding, they couldn't see anything ahead of them at all.

"Slow down," Cora urged her husband, and Henry rolled his eyes.

"It's not even forty, Cora. I'm barely moving," he pointed out.

"How did you find this place anyways?" Zelena inquired, her brows knitted. "It's remote."

"Through a…friend," Robin answered. They wouldn't call her a friend, she was their therapist, but she'd been good to both of them, a little pushy when it came to convincing Regina to move back home but otherwise, she was nice. "It was recommend, nice place, nice staff—" his sentence was cut short when the car swerved.

"What are you doing?" Regina cried out, her eyes bulging at the sudden turn.

"Th—there was someone in front of the car, there was someone and I almost hit him, he looked..he looked…" Henry stuttered, swallowing the lump that formed in his throat. He unbuckled his belt, readying himself to step out in the fog when Cora stopped him, tight gripping onto his arm.

"Don't get out," she pleaded.

"Robin, don't," Regina insisted when her husband removed his own, but he shook his head, pressed a kiss to her cheek, then leaned forward and pulled Henry back with a timid smile.

"Stay, I'll check it out," Robin offered.

Though hesitant, Henry nodded, and Robin stepped outside of the vehicle, carefully rounding it but staying close to it. It was too misty, the fog was covering everything entirely, he won't be able to find himself in the midst of it, let alone, someone else. But he was stubborn, that's how he'd always been. Too antsy to stay behind, Regina found herself climbing out of the car a moment after, ignoring her parents' protests. They were in an isolated place, in a country neither of them have stepped a food in for years, of course she worried about what could be lurking in this ungodly fog. Rabid animals, crazy men, anything and anyone that might bring harm to her husband.

"Robin," she called out, mindlessly walking straight ahead until she found him standing still. "Robin?" But he didn't answer, instead, he looked forward and she followed his gaze, eyebrows creased at the long figure. "Is that it? That's the place?"

"Home sweet home," he sighed.

The car honked, startling them both, and her father came to view with the window rolled down, a dumb expression on his face at the fact that this place was surrounded by nothing. Literally, nothing. "I just wanna know, how the hell did they find this place?"

The place was…lovely, Regina won't deny it. The palm trees, the grand decorations on the outside of the building, and the inside was just as beautiful. Their apartment as well. It was large, just as Robin said it would be; two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a wide living room, and there was a balcony, too, but it was useless. There was nothing to look out for, no breathtaking view to enjoy. Just fog.

"It's a gorgeous place," Cora complimented. "But I think there's one thing missing."

"What's that?" Regina moved closer, looking over her mother's shoulder as she fished something out of her purse, and of course, it was a cross. She shouldn't have expected anything else from her.

"Mom," Zelena huffed.

"What? It'll keep away the bad things," Cora explained.

Regina wasn't very religious, infact, she hadn't stepped a foot into a church in ages, this didn't impress her, but she was grateful, giving her mother a tightlipped smile and a kiss to her cheek. "Thank you, mom."

"Come on, let's check out the rest of the place before heading off," Henry urged.

The master-bedroom was their first stop. It was large, everything was in beige, red and green, coincidentally, it was hers and Robin's favorite colors. The bed was king-sized and she found herself biting her lip at the thought of everything they could do on it. Maybe this was a good move, maybe returning to the States would mend things between her and Robin. As the therapist said, she couldn't change the past, but she could move on forward, returning to her home didn't mean she'd be taking one step back, not at all, and she understood it now.

"Guys, there are more rooms," Henry beckoned them and everyone followed excitedly, everyone but Regina.

She stood back and admired the room, every detail, all the paintings that were hung up. It was nice, she'd put her stubbornness aside and enjoy it. She made her way toward the door to leave when something caught her attention, sending chills down her spine. At first, as faint as it was it sounded like the mewling of a kitten, but as it continued, it sounded more and more like a child's cry, a newborn. She walked around the room, trying to figure out where the sound was coming from, and the closer she got to the air-conditioning vent, the louder it got. It couldn't be the air-conditioner, though, it wasn't even turned on. It was confusing. They were the only people in this whole building aside from the staff, where on earth was that sound coming from? Regardless of it, it brought back painful memories of her son.

* * *

Goodbyes were hard, even if they weren't forever, but her time with her family was short-lived. Yes, she would see them again, but she didn't know when. Surely it wouldn't be every other day, they lived in different states, they were hours apart. They moved back to America to be close to her family and yet, they weren't near, where was the logic behind it? Nevertheless, she buried her thoughts in the back of her mind and decided to enjoy every moment she had with her husband before he goes on for a hunt for a new job. It wouldn't be hard, he promised her, his friend was already on it, recommending him to everyone he knew, every company around.

"I'm exhausted," Regina exhaled, lowering herself down to lay on the couch.

"The flight was awful," Robin agreed, sitting down beside her.

She hummed, her eyes wandering around before they rested on him. "Why are we back here?"

"You needed to get away from there."

She scoffed, " _I_ needed to get away? I never wanted to leave. It's not even a day in this place and I'm already tired of it, I don't like it here."

"This is our home now, Regina," he sighed.

"Our home was back in England. That was our home, we started a life together there—"

"And it didn't turn out so well, did it?" he snapped, startling her by his tone.

Regina didn't answer, there was no point of arguing with him. He wanted her to change, that was the whole reason to this, it wasn't moving forward, it wasn't moving on. He wanted her to change, to stop being so gloomy all the time, to stop thinking of everything they lost.

"Regina, I'm sorry."

"Save it," she chuckled humorlessly, flopping down on the couch. "I don't wanna talk about it, I don't even wanna talk to you right now."

Upon her request, they didn't talk. Robin left for his first job interview and Regina found herself roaming the building, exploring what it had to offer. It was still foggy outside, she could tell by staring out of the glass doors, it was almost night and the fog haven't lessened. Odd. And her parents haven't called, either. They'd been gone for almost four hours now and nothing, not a call, not a text message from any of them. Aside from the man at the front desk, Killian, she hasn't seen any of the other staff, and weirdly enough, Killian wasn't around, either. He hasn't been since he delivered the luggage up to their room. The front desk was unoccupied as she walked past it, there wasn't anything to indicate that he was gone briefly but something did catch her attention through the security screens, something…eerie.

It was a figure, a long, black figure, slithering along the ground. Regina's eyes followed it from one screen to another, and in the sixth screen, the figure moved to the front of their apartment. It stood tall, taking a nebulous form of a human, though still, entirely black as a shadow, as though it was a person in a cloak. It didn't disappear, it…pushed open the door and slid inside, leaving Regina stunned, staring with her eyes wide and her mouth open.

"Killian!" she called out, her heart pounding at what she'd seen.

"Miss Regina," he stepped behind her, greeting her with a polite smile. "How nice to see you again."

"Someone's in my apartment," she said, gesturing over at the screens as an evidence. "I—I just saw someone enter my apartment through your security camera."

"Maybe you're looking at another floor. They do all look exactly the same."

"No, it's clearly my floor, it's the sixth floor," she argued.

Killian frowned, he sighed and rounded the desk, and a few clicks on the mouse and the screens changed, showing all the apartments in every floor, including hers. But something wasn't right, something didn't add up. Before he showed up, the screen clearly showed that on the sixth floor, someone had entered her apartment, the door was open, but now it wasn't and instead, it was the fifth. "Everything seems to be fine, ma'am." But it wasn't. Sixth or fifth floor, they were the first guests, only guests as Robin told her. She wasn't having it, she wasn't convinced that it was nothing but her eyes deceiving her.

"Killian, I'm telling you, someone is in my apartment."

And someone was, at least, it appeared to be when they both headed up to the sixth floor and found her apartment door open. Killian stepped inside, urging her to wait for him by the door incase she was right and someone has broken into her apartment. He walked in, calling out and asking if anyone was around, there was no response. There was nothing, but he did his job as intended and thoroughly looked around, and while he did, Regina stayed outside, standing at the end of the corridor when she began hearing little whispers, incoherent words, everything gibberish that didn't make sense, unaware of the shadowy hand extended from above, inching to reach for her.

However, there was a breeze that startled her, followed by the sound of Killian, stepping outside and telling her that it was all clear, nothing and nobody was in her apartment. Doubtful, she nodded and walked back inside, hoping her husband would come back soon, hoping that this entire nightmare would end and they'd be on the plane back to where home actually was by morning.

This place wasn't as harmless as it appeared, something was wrong, something was terribly wrong.

* * *

 **A/N:** I can end this here, but if you're interested and you wanna know what's gonna happen, let me know and I'll happily continue!


	7. Full Moon

**A/N:** This is a shorter one, it's not one of the ones I'm proud of, but it's something. Let me know what you think, thank you!

 **Rating:** K

 **Disclaimer** : Don't own anything but my mistakes.

* * *

 **Full Moon**

* * *

"Did you die a happy man?"

It wasn't a question, not quite. It was her pathetic way of mocking him even when he's passed on. Her every intention was to make it funny, not for the laughs, though, not for the satisfaction she got from jeering at people, but keeping it lighthearted was the only way for her to keep it together. And with that, she still found her throat tightening and her eyes pricking with tears, because he said he would. He said he loved her, he got the privilege of being hers, he got to spend his mornings waking up next to her and his nights dozing off beside her, and the in-between holding her, and if he dies, he'd die a happy man. Well, he did. He died.

She gave him one order and he couldn't follow it. _Don't get in my way_. And he did. He got in her way.

"I wish you could see this," Regina breathed out in awe, her eyes fixed up at the full moon. It was wondrous, wide with orangish hues, and Roland compared it to a giant pumpkin, making her laugh out loud and giving her another reason to be a bit happier on this lonesome day.

Everyone in town did their own thing, they had their own little families and set of friends, she didn't belong in their groups, despite it all, they weren't all that comfortable with her. Once a villain, always a villain, it seemed. And Henry was gone, her little prince was off to whatever adventure he had his mind set on, and although Roland wasn't his replacement, his presence made her just as happy as her son's. She was glad she managed to stop Little John and the rest of the Merry Men from taking him back to the Enchanted Forest. It wasn't what Robin would've wanted to happen to his son, she would know, he told her, and the boy managed to fill a little bit of that void Robin left behind.

"Roland carved his first pumpkin yesterday," she said, smiling fondly at how excited the boy was, the pride that filled him at his accomplishment. It was sloppy, a poorly done job, the eyes weren't nearly identical, they weren't even on the same line, and the mouth was far too small, nevertheless, it was perfect. "I told him to wait until right before Halloween, he wouldn't. It's a pretty pumpkin, though, he poked two holes on the sides of it for dimples and called it Robin," she let out a little chuckle, swiping a hand over her eyes to wipe away the tears that stubbornly clung to her lashes. "He misses you, you know. I miss you, too."

It's been two years since, two years and she still hasn't said goodbye, she wasn't ready to, and she wasn't ready to give up on him, either. Dead is dead, they couldn't be brought back to life, that's what she'd been told for years, that no magic was powerful enough. But Rumple came back, the captain did, too, and if only for a brief moment, so did her first love. However, how Rumple came back was still a mystery to her, there was some sort of a sacrifice that she didn't know the great details of, and she wasn't going to go down to the Underworld for Robin, not because she didn't want to, it wasn't to avoid the mess that followed them after the first time they did, either, but out of fear that if she does, he might not even be there. She should be happy with the thought that he could've moved on to a better place, she was too selfish to accept it, though. There was one last option — do what Whale did to her deceased fiancé, and maybe this time it would be different, maybe it would work. Robin was her soulmate, Daniel wasn't, Robin's heart was still intact, Daniel's was crushed, and it was full moon. Great things happened during a full moon.

"Cooperate with me, Robin," Regina pleaded, shifting around to face him. He looked peaceful, just as handsome as the first time she'd seen him, not an extra wrinkle on his face. Opposite to what the rest believed, he was never buried, only preserved and hidden in her vault, and as long as there was hope in her heart, she wouldn't bury him. Not in a million years if there was still, even the slightest chance, to bring him back. "I know you're here, somewhere, listening to me. Work with me on this."

The plan was easy. She prepared an ancient spell with ingredients she'd been collecting over the years, some she already had in hand, others were rare and hard to find, but she managed to get a hold of them. It was to repeal whatever Hades did, because deep down, she knew the God of destruction was a liar, he was a trickster. Robin's soul didn't cease to exist, those must've been words to scare them, but he'd done something to it. Whether it was lost somewhere or trapped, this spell would revoke what he did. The next step was to find a heart amongst the large collection she had and use it, only half of it to avoid what happened to Daniel, the agony he was put through, but then it hit her. Charming died of a crushed heart, too, and half of Snow's brought him back. They were True Love, and her and Robin never shared a True Love's kiss, only because there was never a curse to break, but they were _soulmates_ , and every time they did kiss, there was something. Maybe that was it. Not any heart would do, but hers.

Regina looked up at the night sky and pursed her lips. The Harvest full moon was almost at its highest point, it was almost time. It was now or never, well, in a few years.

"Don't let me down," she murmured, thrusting her hand into her lover's chest to retrieve his heart. It was bright red, completely pure, and it wasn't beating, yet. "Here goes nothing," she sighed, plunging her hand into her own chest with a swallowed back groan. She split their hearts into halves, his was still, while hers was strong, and the chances of them both walking out of the cemetery well were slim, but it was a risk she was willing to take. She placed half of hers beside his, and his by hers, and with a little bit of magic, her hands glowed and she conjoined them. If this works, they would literally carry each other's hearts within them, and most importantly, he'd be back. "This better work, you better get back to me. We've got a little boy waiting for us back home." Regina gulped, holding one heart to his chest and another to hers, she bent and pressed their lips together, and with a hiss, she pushed both inside.

It was much more painful than it was all the other times she had to put her heart back in its rightful place, after all, her body was carrying half of an organ that didn't belong to her, but as soon as the shock passed, her chest grew lighter and her breathing regulated, her lover, however, remained still. Though, when she placed a trembling hand atop of his chest, she felt it. Light, faint, but surely existent pulse.

"That's it," she encouraged enthusiastically, both hands repeatedly compressing against his chest, hoping it would help and it did, every heartbeat that followed throbbed stronger than the other, his chest began rising and falling, and before she knew it, he drew in the longest breath and his blue eyes flew open, finding hers.

"Regina?"

She did it. She brought him back.

* * *

 **A/N:** Reviews are appreciated, thank you for reading.


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